Aldershot & Farnham (A&F) Hockey Club’s men’s first team’s winless run extended to six games, and they are now firmly in a relegation scrap following a 6-2 defeat at Petersfield in South Central Division One South.

In a frantic start it was A&F that made the breakthrough. Phil Rushmere, who was responsible for instigating a lot of A&F’s attacking play, found Ian Metcalfe, who bobbled a ball towards Stu Morhall in the circle. Morhall outmuscled one defender and rounded the keeper but with an increasingly tight angle had to dive and stretch to sweep a reverse stick effort towards goal. The ball struck the upright, but Metcalfe was there to follow up and put the ball in.

Petersfield equalised with a short corner deflection on the right post and then went ahead as a ball found its way through a narrow gap with defender Chris Edwards and goalkeeper Mark Edgley wrong-footed.

Edgley made several good saves for A&F as unforced errors put themselves under pressure. However they remained a danger in attack, and they brought the game back level when Jonny Groves diverted a ball in at a short corner.

Some tentative defending from A&F just before the break saw Petersfield find a foot in the A&F D. They scored the resultant short corner to lead 3-2 at half time.

For the first part of the second half the game was tight with both teams looking for the all-important next goal. Petersfield won a short corner and Edgley made a good save from the initial short corner strike, but the rebound was put into the net to put Petersfield 4-2 up.

Thereafter A&F lost their heads somewhat and continued to cough up possession all too easily, enabling Petersfield to run away with the game.

A&F’s ladies’ second team lost 4-1 against Bournemouth’s third team. Emma Whincop scored a consolation goal for A&F.

A&F’s ladies’ third team lost 2-1 at Chichester’s third team, but A&F’s ladies’ fourth team remain top of their league following a 1-0 win at Havant’s fifth team. Danielle White, Megan Fuller and Michaela Mulvey were strong in defence and Elean Reggler was required to make a string of good saves, but Aofie Clark’s first senior goal proved to be the difference.

A&F’s men’s second team’s struggles continued with a 2-1 home defeat to Salisbury’s second team while the men’s third team lost 5-3 against New Forest. Phil Ward scored two goals for A&F, while Stuart Clarke got his first goal for the club. Will Damerell’s equaliser was enough to earn A&F’s men’s fourth team a point against Hamble’s second team.